Video Premiere: The Blind Pets’ “TV Baby”

Fearless Austin rockers the Blind Pets combine child’s play and XXX content in their video for “TV Baby,” a garage-grunge missile discharged from new LP Heavy Petting.

We burdened singer/guitarist Joshua Logan with explaining the clip’s abstract art — comprised entirely of stop-motion miniatures — which documents the sex- and gun-ridden adventures of a big-rig drivin’, chain-smokin’ grizzly bear on a serious joyride.

Austin Chronicle: Who’s responsible for the painstaking art in this video?

Joshua Logan: Kate Hellenbeck. She did the set design and all the pictures for “TV Baby.” People have probably seen her miniatures in the window at Holy Mountain. Then Michael Anthony Gibson, who runs a production company called Tony Stout with me, did all the editing. What Kate does is super unique. If you look at everything in that video, it’s all child’s toys doing very adult stuff.

AC: What’s the significance of the bear?

JL: I’ve always related the band to fierce animals, like a bear, lion, or tiger. I relate to those animals. I have a big personality and try to keep it respected. So I dug the bear.

AC: What about the bear’s affinity for hookers and debauchery?

JL: Well everybody has their run of good times. And the story in the video makes sense to the song. People hear the lyrics, “I want to be on TV Baby/ Won’t you put me on your show,” and think it’s about being on reality TV, but it’s more of a sexual thing. It’s like, “Hey I want to be on your main screen, rated R like a motherfucker.” It’s not about being a Kardashian or anything.

AC: You’ve been working on this album for a long time.

JL: We recorded Heavy Petting in 2013, then toured a lot and couldn’t stop because it was working for us. All the while, we were tying to get someone to release it. We had a couple labels interested, but nothing that made us say, “Okay, we’ve got to do it with you guys.” So we sat on it and just waited.

AC: The bear’s hard traveling and so are the Blind Pets. What’s the life of an underground rock & roll band on tour like?

JL: You know, it could be anything. That’s the best part about it. It’s like scratching the lottery ticket of life – you’re gambling every night. You could play for the bartender or play for 200 people. That day you could be sleeping in the van on the way to a show, and that night you could be sleeping in some doctor’s mansion while he’s feeding you weed and letting you stay in his hot tub. You never really know.